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Sticking with the same theme of icebreakers and routines for week 2, the next Edtech Challenge is to have your students create a "Time Capsule" using technology.
Here are two ideas:
1. Younger students that cannot write or type can use voki to create a speaking avatar. They can create an avatar with similar physical features and then record a quick narrative about what they want to learn this school year. Click here to view the lesson plan that inspired this week's challenge.
2. Older students can use FutureMe.org to type a letter to their future selves and schedule the email to be sent back to them on the last day of school.
Here are some things to consider as you attempt this Edtech Challenge:
- Create a classroom account for voki and have the students login using that account.
- To record the student's voice for voki, you will need to connect a microphone to the computer. If a microphone is not available, you can use the text to speech option.
- Futureme.org does require an email address. If your students do not use email (from google apps for education or epals), then you will need to create a class email account or have the students enter your email address.
- Facilitate creativity by allowing students to design an avatar that represents who they are as a means of personal expression.
I first read this and thought that this challenge would not apply to me as a math specialist. While I was putting the dishes away, I got a great idea tonight for this challenge. I want to work on encouraging students to make conjectures in mathematics. I have thought about creating an interactive bulletin board where students pose conjectures that students try to prove or disprove. I could use incorporate this technology time capsule as a place for students to pose conjectures and then revisit them later on to see if they still believe their ideas hold true. Here is a little information on the importance of conjectures http://library.unesco-iicba.org/English/PRIMARY_MATHS_SERIES/MATH_PAGES/articles/kids_and_conjecture_is_mathematics_power.htm
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you thought of a way to make this challenge work for you! That is exactly what I hope others will do too. You can have students use the futureme.org site to write their conjectures at the beginning of the unit and schedule the email to be sent back to them at the end of the unit.
ReplyDeleteLove your idea, Robin!
ReplyDeleteDuring Wellness, students worked collaboratively to create a Voki that expresses a Wellness Wish for themselves and others. To view examples: http://awrigh5.wix.com/wellness-in-and-out#!gallery/c1y1f
Thanks for prompting this, Amy. It turned out to be a great way for students to discuss their ideas of wellness.
Thanks Amy! I tried the futureme website and sent myself a letter to be delivered on June 1, 2013. The site was easy to use and I am looking forward to trying it with my students. I know they will love it! This year we talked about setting academic and personal goals and we made goal "clouds" that are hanging in our classroom. I think I may have them set some additional academic goals for themselves, send them in an email and then we can revisit them in January to see if we are making progress. We can then reset goals and send new messages to the future to see how we are doing. Great (and easy) way to include technology in classroom management, student goal setting and community building activities.
ReplyDeleteI think it is great that the kids are setting academic and personal goals. I am sure it will be very interesting and fun for them to use futureme.org for that. I wrote a letter to myself in 8th grade for a time capsule at school. The letter was given back to me at my ten year high school reunion. It was very cool. I think that is one of the reasons that this site appealed to me so much.
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